recommend that at least 2,500 or 3,000 efficient troops, under a through and decided commander, be at once put into the field against these Indians, and no stop be put to the campaign until extermination or the most complete chastisement be inflicted. There should be no treaty or half-way and temporizing policy allowed until they are thoroughly punished. Unless prompt and efficient steps are at once taken our annual supplies for this department will be cut off and much suffering to the troops in this department ensue, not to mention the complete stoppage of our mails to and from the east, and the loss of life and property to traders and others. I have reported these facts to the Quartermaster-General, and urged him to take some action, and I now bring the subject to your notice for such steps to be taken as you think advisable.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. C. McFERRAN,

Colonel and Quartermaster.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST, Milwaukee, Wis., August 29, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,
Chief of Staff, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I would suggest the propriety of giving authority to some officer stationed at the new post to be established on the Yellowstone this summer to recruit men and organize them into regiments or battalions, officers to be appointed by the Governor of th new Territory, embracing the eastern part of the original Territory of Idaho, or by the War Department. It would also be well to send an officer direct to the Idaho mines (Bannock and Virginia Cities) for the same purpose. There has been an immense emigration of able-bodied men to that region during the summer. The disappointment about mining and the interruption of the supply trains for that region by the Indians in General Curtis' department, which will produce something very near starvation among the emigrants, will I think make it practicable to enlist several regiments for the full term of three years. Such regiments can be brought to the Missouri at Omaha during the autumn, I should suppose, without serious trouble,and being composed of hardy men they would render as much service in the field as two or three regiments of recruits raised in the East. I offer these suggestions for your consideration, as I believe it practicable.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO. POPE,

Major-General, Commanding.

HDQRS. DIST. OF MINNESOTA, DEPT OF THE NORTHWEST, Saint Paul, Minn., August 29, 1864.

Major General JOHN POPE,

Commanding Department of the Northwest, Milwaukee, Wis.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that reliable intelligence of an unofficial character has reached me of the murder of two teamsters and the seriously wounding of a third at Wild Rice River, about equidistant between Georgetown and Fort Abercrombie, by a party of